Untitled Document
Brown Columbia Cornell Dartmouth Harvard Penn Princeton Yale



Username Post: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN        (Topic#21453)
westcoast 
Senior
Posts: 302

Reg: 03-08-16
04-04-18 12:40 PM - Post#254773    

ESPN has signed a 10 year deal with the Ivy League to show all football and basketball games, including the postseason tournaments in basketball, starting this fall. At least 24 games per year will be shown on ESPN's TV networks, with the rest appearing on the upcoming ESPN+ online network. The expected cost of ESPN+ is $4.99/month. The deal is expected to cover 30 sports and 1100 events. This will be the end of the Ivy League Network.

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2...

Edited by westcoast on 04-04-18 12:44 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21085

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 01:01 PM - Post#254775    
    In response to westcoast

So for those of us who already pay for the variety of ESPN channels already (along with MLB Network, NBA TV, NHL Network, NFL Network).....we'll have even fewer opportunities to watch Ivy basketball in the future (either on TV or on-line) than we did this past year.

Unless, of course, we're willing to fork over even more $$ for yet another ESPN outlet on-line.

Edited by penn nation on 04-04-18 01:01 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
sparman 
PhD Student
Posts: 1339
sparman
Reg: 12-08-04
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 01:02 PM - Post#254776    
    In response to westcoast

Not sure how they will carry ALL games considering there is so much overlap in times of games being played.

At least there is no longer the added cost of ILDN to the espn sports package.

 
westcoast 
Senior
Posts: 302

Reg: 03-08-16
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 01:12 PM - Post#254778    
    In response to sparman

ESPN+ will show all games, just as ESPN3 and ILDN did before. It is not clear if ESPN+ is the end of the free ESPN3/Watch ESPN. Those are for existing cable customers, while ESPN+ will work without a cable subscription.

 
sparman 
PhD Student
Posts: 1339
sparman
Reg: 12-08-04
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 01:41 PM - Post#254784    
    In response to westcoast

Regarding cost, I meant that someone already subscribing to espn package and who gets the espn3 games (e.g., me) won't be paying more.

If this merely means most games will be on espn3, I don't think that's too different than what we have had this past year through ILDN. I have watched a lot of ivy contests on the "3", although I can't say it's been ALL games.

 
westcoast 
Senior
Posts: 302

Reg: 03-08-16
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 02:02 PM - Post#254785    
    In response to sparman

Right, if you already had ILDN and ESPN3, it won't be a change in available content, although it should be cheaper. But by having all of the games on ESPN+, there will be a much larger audience than ILDN.

 
penn nation 
Professor
Posts: 21085

Reg: 12-02-04
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 02:23 PM - Post#254787    
    In response to westcoast

I have ESPN 3 but not ILDN. My read of that e-mail is that you won't be able to see nearly as many games on ESPN3 in the coming year, if any.

 
Go Green 
PhD Student
Posts: 1124

Age: 52
Reg: 04-22-10
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 04:13 PM - Post#254794    
    In response to westcoast

  • westcoast Said:
ESPN has signed a 10 year deal with the Ivy League to show all football and basketball games, including the postseason tournaments in basketball, starting this fall. . . .

This will be the end of the Ivy League Network.





Can I assume that this means no more streaming of baseball, hockey, etc. games?

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
04-04-18 04:48 PM - Post#254796    
    In response to Go Green

Here's an update from ESPN:
https://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/201 8/0...

- ESPN and the Ivy League have reached a comprehensive, 10-year deal for ESPN to become the exclusive national media rights holder for the prestigious conference, carrying more than 1,100 events annually from more than 30 sports on ESPN media platforms. The majority of those will be exclusively available on ESPN+, the new direct-to-consumer sports streaming service launching April 12 from The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer and International division in partnership with ESPN. The Ivy League will also have at least 24 events air on ESPN’s linear networks each year, including historic rivalries such as The Game: Harvard-Yale football, and new traditions like the men’s and women’s basketball conference tournaments. -

All conference-controlled men's basketball, women's basketball, football, men's hockey, women's hockey, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse will be available on ESPN linear networks or ESPN+.

Of the 24 ESPN linear events, there appear to be 6 football, 6 men's basketball regular season, 2 men's basketball semis, 1 men's basketball final, 1 women's basketball final, 2 men's lax semis and 1 men's lax final. I cannot tell what the other 5 games would be from the press release.

Also, not sure how many conference-controlled games for sports like soccer, baseball or softball will be available.

Also, not sure if things like the weekly Mike Martin Show, Yale's Blue Madness and Harvard's Crimson Madness will be made available, as it was on ILN.


The price for the ESPN+ App will be $4.99/month. For those with ILN, the yearly package is now $119.95 ($9.99/month) and the four-month package is $49.95 ($12.49/month). The new product will be cheaper and hopefully have improved quality (for me, I can barely hear the audio on the Yale men's and women's basketball games). The one thing I hope that ESPN uses is the 15 second forward and rewind buttons. It really helps when watching games on delay.

 
T.P.F.K.A.D.W. 
PhD Student
Posts: 1169

Loc: Our Nation's Capital
Reg: 01-18-05
04-04-18 05:03 PM - Post#254798    
    In response to rbg

I wonder if the league's contract with NeuLion had expired. If not, I imagine they have to pay some exit fee?

 
SRP 
Postdoc
Posts: 4894

Reg: 02-04-06
04-04-18 05:18 PM - Post#254799    
    In response to T.P.F.K.A.D.W.

I wonder if current ESPN subscribers through cable or satellite will get a break here. And will ILDN stop auto-renewing subscribers now that they are ceasing service?

 
1LotteryPick1969 
Postdoc
Posts: 2261
1LotteryPick1969
Age: 73
Loc: Sandy, Utah
Reg: 11-21-04
04-04-18 07:36 PM - Post#254803    
    In response to SRP

  • SRP Said:
And will ILDN stop auto-renewing subscribers now that they are ceasing service?



Hilarious


 
sparman 
PhD Student
Posts: 1339
sparman
Reg: 12-08-04
04-04-18 07:59 PM - Post#254804    
    In response to 1LotteryPick1969

As long as you call them on their now-inactive number.

 
DCAJedi 
Masters Student
Posts: 582

Age: 40
Loc: Somewhere.
Reg: 11-21-04
New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-04-18 08:39 PM - Post#254806    
    In response to sparman

Here's another story on the ESPN deal. Some of you may recognize the byline. I don't come through here very often anymore, so I don't know everyone on here anymore.

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/college s/penn/...

That should answer many of the questions posed so far in this thread, in what I hope is plain English.

I figured I should post the story here so people know about it. I now go back to lurking. If you have any questions, it's better to reach me by Twitter or email than on here. Thanks to all for reading, and see you wherever the tournament is next March.

(I don't know where that will be, for the record.)
"Here will be an old abusing of God's patience, and the king's English."


Edited by DCAJedi on 04-04-18 08:39 PM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-05-18 09:29 AM - Post#254818    
    In response to DCAJedi

This new service seems to be a plus for people who have purchased separate packages for things like the ILN or Major League Soccer, since they will get a discounted rate for their previous product and get access to additional events.

It seems to be a negative for people who have supported conferences like the America East, who were able to get events for free on its conference website or on ESPN3 as part of their regular cable package. Now, these people will have to pay an additional $4.99 per month for to watch their teams.

Regarding the IL fans, do people on this board think:
- There are a large number of IL fans, who would pay to follow their school's teams, but just did not know about the ILN?

- There are a large number of IL fans, who wanted to follow their teams and knew about the ILN, but the $9.99/month was too expensive?

I don't know how great a job the ILN did over the last 5 years in promoting its brand to attract customers? Did they advertise in campus student newspapers or alumni magazines?

If they want to make this thing work, the IL (league officials and schools) and the other mid-major conferences are going to have to work harder at getting the word out to their alums and students.

Edited by rbg on 04-05-18 09:30 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
Go Green 
PhD Student
Posts: 1124

Age: 52
Reg: 04-22-10
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-05-18 09:47 AM - Post#254819    
    In response to rbg

  • rbg Said:

- There are a large number of IL fans, who wanted to follow their teams and knew about the ILN, but the $9.99/month was too expensive?





I won't go back and check, but my recollection is that 7 or 8 Dartmouth football games were available for viewing on media besides the ILDN. I remember thinking that ILDN seemed unnecessary unless you were hell-bent on watching all 10 football games.

I imagine that was the case with other Ivy football teams as well.

While I do enjoy watching other Dartmouth teams, football is really the only sport that I keep in the back of my mind to schedule my day around. With respect to basketball and baseball, if I'm free I'll check out the game.


Edited by Go Green on 04-05-18 09:47 AM. Reason for edit: No reason given.

 
mrjames 
Professor
Posts: 6062

Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-05-18 12:21 PM - Post#254832    
    In response to Go Green

This deal has been in the works for a few years now. It nearly happened right before the first wave of ESPN layoffs, but there were some disagreements about what content would be where relative to the paywall, and how the paywall would be constructed was TBD. Then, ESPN executed the layoffs and put that strategy on ice for a while.

Over the past couple seasons, you could see the two sides feeling the relationship out. ESPN added a LOT more Ivy content to WatchESPN the first year that the restrictions on handing off streams were lifted in the NeuLion arrangement. This year there were a TON of Ivy games on ESPN’s College Sports Extra linear channels and even more on WatchESPN.

The BAM Tech deal provided the platform to execute the strategy - ESPN had to begin the shift to direct-to-consumer monthly subscriptions and this would be the way to do so. For viewers like us, it should be a huge win - the whole year for the 4-month price, plus a TON of other content that might be of interest. Also, with the ESPN name attached, it’s unlikely that they’ll let any quality issues persist. I’d expect some added content over time that wouldn’t be possible without some production support from ESPN.

This is big for us. A very good thing.

 
palestra38 
Professor
Posts: 32683

Reg: 11-21-04
Re: New Ivy League TV Deal with ESPN
04-05-18 01:43 PM - Post#254845    
    In response to mrjames

Do we make any money out of it? Like enough to put on a good tournament at a neutral site?

 
westcoast 
Senior
Posts: 302

Reg: 03-08-16
04-06-18 02:00 AM - Post#254859    
    In response to palestra38

By being part of ESPN+, the Ivy League hopes to get more views from general college basketball fans, as well as recruits. Most fans currently subscribe to zero or one league package. By joining with other leagues on ESPN+, Ivy League fans will now be able to watch big games in many other leagues, and probably fans of other leagues will decide to check out the big Ivy League games too. It should definitely increase overall exposure for the League.

 
palestra38 
Professor
Posts: 32683

Reg: 11-21-04
04-06-18 08:29 AM - Post#254862    
    In response to westcoast

No question at all. But I wanted to know if any money is changing hands.

 
rbg 
Postdoc
Posts: 3044

Reg: 10-20-14
06-01-18 08:43 AM - Post#257508    
    In response to palestra38

ESPN has reached a multi-year deal to expand its relationship with the A-10 and broadcast conference games on ESPN+.

The new site will broadcast over 330 men's and women's games. This should, hopefully, make it easier for Ivy fans to catch the non-conference games with the various A-10 teams each season.

https://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/201 8/0...

 
dperry 
Postdoc
Posts: 2211
dperry
Loc: Houston, TX
Reg: 11-24-04
06-01-18 01:24 PM - Post#257569    
    In response to rbg

Moves like this and the Ivy network make it clear that ESPN is trying to position itself for the new digital world; they're going to go from being a sports network to helping other people have sports networks. It will be interesting to see whether they can survive their short-term problems (declining revenues and being locked into a lot of big contracts) long enough to get to where they want to go.
David Perry
Penn '92
"Hail, Alma Mater/Thy sons cheer thee now
To thee, Pennsylvania/All rivals must bow!!!"


 
Streamers 
Professor
Posts: 8141
Streamers
Loc: NW Philadelphia
Reg: 11-21-04
06-01-18 03:42 PM - Post#257588    
    In response to dperry

  • dperry Said:
Moves like this and the Ivy network make it clear that ESPN is trying to position itself for the new digital world; they're going to go from being a sports network to helping other people have sports networks. It will be interesting to see whether they can survive their short-term problems (declining revenues and being locked into a lot of big contracts) long enough to get to where they want to go.



I think you hit the mail on the head here. ESPN/Disney has been repositioning themselves as a platform play for a while now. As we have seen with Fox/Comcast/ATT, et al, you need both content and distribution to survive regardless of the distribution technology. There is just to much competition with deep pockets out there for content (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix) so platform expansion makes sense.


 
Icon Legend Permissions Topic Options
Report Post

Quote Post

Quick Reply

Print Topic

Email Topic

3972 Views




Copyright © 2004-2012 Basketball U. Terms of Use for our Site and Privacy Policy are applicable to you. All rights reserved.
Basketball U. and its subsidiaries are not affiliated in any way with any NCAA athletic conference or member institution.
FusionBB™ Version 2.1 | ©2003-2007 InteractivePHP, Inc.
Execution time: 0.246 seconds.   Total Queries: 16   Zlib Compression is on.
All times are (GMT -0500) Eastern. Current time is 03:07 PM
Top